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Hawks Injuries Kill Daniel Gafford Trade Talks Before Start
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- Hawks Injuries Kill Daniel Gafford Trade Talks Before Start
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
The Window Slams Shut
The Atlanta Hawks just lost their best chance to trade for a proven center. Rookie Henri Veesaar tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a workout on September 15, 2026. The team announced he will miss the entire 2026-27 season after surgery in October. This brutal injury weakens Atlanta's fullcourt depth, but it could reopen speculation about Danial Gafford trade. Veesaar was a 7-foot big man with real shooting skills, averaging 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds at North Carolina last year. His potential had teams curious about his fit in Atlanta. Now that potential is gone for a year, and the trade market for Daniel Gafford has dried up.
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Dallas wanted a first-round pick for Gafford, but they were not getting one from Atlanta before this news. The Mavericks raised their price after they traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards . They no longer needed to shed salary, so they stopped talking about lower offers. According to Sports Illustrated , the asking price for Gafford has stayed consistent at a first-round pick. The Hawks had not been willing to offer the first-round pick Dallas was seeking. Now, with Veesaar on the shelf, the Hawks have even less reason to give up a future asset for a player they can replace internally.
Roster Depth Hits a Wall
Atlanta still has two solid options at center, but the margin for error is now razor-thin. The team's top two selections for the season are clearly Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale . Veesaar was meant to be a developmental piece behind them, but his absence leaves the rotation dangerously thin. Mouhamed Gueye also had foot surgery in July and will miss the start of the season. The team said he will be reevaluated in three to four months, which means his status remains uncertain. This leaves the Hawks with three big men for a season that requires eight months of action. One bad injury to Okongwu or Landale could derail the whole frontcourt strategy.
The financial situation does not help the team find a quick fix either. Veesaar signed a four-year, $9.26 million contract with the first two seasons guaranteed. Gueye sits on a non-guaranteed deal, which complicates any roster moves. Right now, the Hawks roster includes 15 players holding guaranteed standard contracts. Adding a depth piece via a two-way contract might be the only realistic path forward. BasketNews.com reports that before Veesaar, only two players from Estonia had ever played in the NBA. His loss is not just a stat line drop; it is a loss of a unique skill set that the team cannot easily buy back on the market.
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The trade talk for Gafford is dead unless Dallas suddenly drops their asking price. Although the Mavericks aimed to trade Gafford for a better spot in the 2026 NBA Draft, the plan did not succeed. Now they are holding firm on their price, and the Hawks have nothing to offer that fits the bill. Atlanta might look for a cheap depth piece or a two-way deal instead of a star. The focus shifts to keeping Okongwu and Landale healthy for the long haul. The team cannot afford to lose another big man early in the season. With Veesaar out, the pressure on the existing roster has never been higher.
Hawks fans should expect a quiet frontcourt until the trade deadline. The injuries have forced a complete rethink of the team's short-term goals. Instead of chasing a trade, the team will likely focus on development and depth. The loss of Veesaar changes the entire trajectory of the season. Atlanta must now play small or rely on their two main centers to carry the load. The window for a blockbuster move closed the moment the MRI confirmed the tear.
